How to Write the Perfect Celebrity Article
3 easy steps to take your article from dull to a search engines SEO dream
There is an invisible relationship between celebrities and publishers. Magazines need celebrities to do things to write about, and celebrities need magazines to keep their career going. If there is no-one to write about their latest blockbuster film, then nobody is going to go see it. However, as we have discovered in previous posts- sometimes that relationship can turn sour.
To write these type of articles, you need to have the audience gripped. The right story, the right people and just enough amount of juicy gossip may happen but sometimes you have to grip your audience via your writing skills.
1. The Headline
I say, ‘the headline’ because the headline means EVERYTHING. It could be the difference between being successful and never writing again (no pressure).
“Without great headlines, our marketing has no chance of success.” — Martin Holland, Forbes.
It’s important to recognise that the headline shouldn’t be deceiving but it should still work out of context. We see ‘clickbait’ articles all the time and we all get frustrated when they actually turn out to be rubbish.
We also need to make sure that it is specific- don't ramble on (there's more time for that in the story!).
2. Put Hyperlinks to good use:
Hyperlinks are a luxury which is not allowed for in the printing world. SO USE THEM! They are extremely underrated and therefore SO important to your work. Referencing a previous celebrity conviction? Hyperlink the article. A bad haircut? Hyperlink the photo. A transcript from a court hearing? HYPERLINK!
It backs up the point you are trying to make to your audience and in turn, makes you look more legitimate.
Side note: please don't hyperlink to Wikipedia (no diss to them, it's my favourite website). If any of you have been to university, you know in the first few weeks of learning to reference, it’s drilled into your skull “DON’T USE WIKI!” — only because it can be edited by anyone and you could be the unlucky person that sees some information on there before it's been audited. You can do what you like but, you know, your risk.
5. SEO
“CEO? CFO? COO? How many more acronyms do you want me to remember?!” you sigh.
Don’t panic.
SEO stands for Search Engine Optimisation.
This is another one which is specifically writing online. When writing you have to consider how your readers will discover it.
Google is your friend, and it will filter searches accordingly. So, writing about Brexit? Chances are if you Theresa May in your article (and if you're writing about Brexit, I hope you are), then under Google searches for Theresa May up will pop your article.
Get it?
It’s a little bit more complicated than that but it is a great way to utilise your online space and beat out the competition.
With such a saturated market, that is just one of the many things you will have to think about when writing about celebrities.
Hopefully, by using a strong headline and lead (containing all the keywords you are going to be talking about in the article) then it will set you on the right path for perfect SEO.
There are websites and publishing sites which can help you with your SEO but try not to get dragged into the deep hole that is optimisation.
So there you have it.
A few of my tips on writing about celebrities. I’m still discovering things myself, but don’t worry. I’ll be sure to let you know when I discover new things.
I also made a short video for you guys with a couple more tips to help you get started!
In the meantime, why don’t you give my Twitter a follow?
Until next time,
Rachel
